Dorothy Stokes Faughn
March 15, 1926 – January 5, 2019

Dorothy Stokes Faughn, legendary band director in Malden, Missouri and memorable musician at Schweitzer United Methodist Church in Springfield, Missouri passed away on January 5, 2019. 92 years old
Survived by daughter, Carol Plumley and husband, Bob of Springfield, Mo; son Jim Faughn and wife, Debby of Fort Myers, Florida daughter Christy Hinson and husband, Jeff of Brewton, AL; son, Jerry Faughn and wife, Janna of Colorado Springs, Colorado as well as grandchildren: Robert Plumley, Leah Plumley, Stokes Hinson, Jonathan Hinson, Gerald Faughn, Andre’ Faughn and 5 great grandchildren.
Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents, Russell and Marie Stokes of Gideon, MO and brother, Russell Stokes of Kirkwood, MO.
A Celebration of Life is planned for 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 19, 2019 at Schweitzer United Methodist Church. A reception will be held in the Memorial Hall following the service.
At Dorothy’s request donations will be directed to the Scheweitzer United Methodist Food Pantry in lieu of flowers.
Dorothy studied piano and performed recitals of very difficult pieces at an early age. She arranged music and performed her arrangements with a girls’ quartet. At the same time she was also the drum major of her high school band. After high school, she attended college at Illinois Wesleyan University and joined the Delta Omicron sorority. There her talents blossomed as she pursued a major in music. She performed in a quartet called “The Dreamers” and even managed to be a college cheerleader.
After college, she enjoyed the professional music scene, playing professionally for several years. Later, Dorothy began teaching high school music where she entertained audiences and inspired many vocal and instrumental students. Her bands won awards in parades, field competitions and in concert and were well known in Southeast Missouri during a time when there were very few women in the field. She inspired her students and they excelled in music and many pursued careers in music.
While she was raising 4 children alone, she was able to support and inspire them to be their best. At this same time she was also cared for her own mother and father. While her career and family were the light of her life, she also loved giving her talents to the church. She played the organ at the Malden Methodist Church every Sunday. She never accepted any pay for her service.
After retiring from public school teaching, she moved to Springfield and began to teach private piano lessons. She loved sharing what she had learned from a lifetime of knowledge, studying under many great pianists including Percy Grainger. She loved this time of her life and continued giving her talents here at Schweitzer UMC. She played piano every Sunday for many years, sang in the choir, formed a quartet and arranged music for them to perform, accompanied the senior adult choir as well as playing for those darling children in the MOPs program as well as Bible School. She generously made a donation of a piano to the church.
During these years she became closer to God through her studies. She completed all levels of Bible Study Fellowship and followed those up with participating in numerous Bible studies offered at Schweitzer UMC. She was a generous giver, not only on Sundays, but also giving a considerable amount to the church food pantry. Giving her money to those she considered less fortunate gave her great joy.
She loved being close to her family. Entertaining her grandchildren made her most happy – taking them to special outings, watching them as they performed bike tricks in the street, sharing a pizza, or playing cards. These simple, but always well-planned events brought her great joy. She also adored her great-grandchildren – always bringing them some little gift or money each time she saw them.
Dorothy Faughn’s life was lived in such a way as to witness to all a selfless and giving spirit. She will be greatly missed by many whose lives were made richer by her gifts of talent and selfless giving.